Dr. W. James Chon has been appointed to manage the Renal Transplant Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences as medical director. Chon will also serve as an associate professor of medicine at the UAMS College of Medicine.

Kendrea Jones of Little Rock was named the new president of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association’s Arkansas Association of Health-System Pharmacists Academy last month at the association’s 134th annual convention in Hot Springs. The academy represents both private and public agencies and other health care organizations.

Dr. Ahmed A. Ali recently joined the medical staff at Conway Regional Medical Center. Ali is an internal medicine specialist and former director of the hospitalist program at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff.

Christy Hawkins, medical staff coordinator at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center at Harrison, has been elected to serve on the Arkansas Association for Medical Staff Services board of directors for the 2016-18 term. Hawkins will serve as the northwest district representative on the board.

DeLana Dawn Shoemake, a registered nurse, has been promoted to critical care manager at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison, where she is responsible for nursing services and patient care for all patients in the critical care, step down and pediatric units.

Patrick West previously served as safety and environmental training manager at Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge and as safety manager and senior safety engineer at Borden Chemicals & Plastics in Geismar, Louisiana.

Dr. Andrew Coble, who came to North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison as a general surgeon in 2012, has been recognized by the American Board of Surgery as a board-certified surgeon. Coble also recently passed his oral exam in New Orleans to become a board-certified fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Sammie Cribbs has been promoted from director of nursing to chief nursing officer at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison. Dr. Justin L. Cutler has been hired at NARMC as an orthopedic surgeon. He joins Dr. Tarik Sidani at the Arkansas Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic.

On Feb. 11, the 471-bed Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff became the third hospital this year to join Arkansas’ network that will let health care providers access patients’ electronic medical records.